WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020

Harelady:   I don't mind the crows themselves - but I'd spent the best part of two days reworking that part of the garden and wasn't about to let them mess up all my hard work. They are the same family we've had for years I'm sure (five of them now) and they lurk on the telephone wires in the morning when I go out to pick up the paper or head out for a walk.  And they, too, start hopping around on the patio or sit on the fountain if I forget.  The other week, I was walking around the neighborhood and one crow kept flying low ahead of me then landing and walking along the road until I got close when it would fly a few feet ahead of me again and repeat the sequence. This kept up for 5 blocks until I got back to the  house.  Amazing.  I chatted to it, (thinking it was one of 'my' crows).  Yes, they are very smart indeed.   I used to toss the food in the same place each morning, but then I noticed that one very aggressive crow was hogging the area and chasing the others off.  Now I scatter crumbs, etc., over a much wider area so everyone gets a chance at a meal. The things we do!  :-)

Annette -  that so funny and I am glad I'm not the only one ! My kids call me the old mad bird woman and I don't mind at all.

CLARE loves corvids. Miss seeing her input here. ( heck, hope crows are corvids or I shouldn't be posting on an RSPB site)
PAT - I'm glad that your bit of metal has been removed.
Quiet day here, hopefully more replies from me tomorrow :-)

ANNETTE – I don’t think George reads the thread now. He had a tough year last year with several deaths in his generation of the wider family and the break-up of his Son’s marriage. He is attempting to get used to a different life – not easy at his age. Your crows certainly know where to find rich pickings! Maybe you should withhold tomorrow’s muffin as punishment – although it might not work if they are extra hungry!

PAT – sorry you are losing trees in the storm; pleased the metal strip is no longer a hazard.

DIBNLIB – sensible to cancel the walk with your friend – enjoy it when next week comes around – and the theatre trip too.

LINDA – sorry Bonnie is disturbed by the changes – I hope she will settle soon. You will certainly need your time away in March – you have both been “under the weather” and very busy.

HARELADY – been reading about storms in England last night and today – all sounds very bad – worse than it had been here.

HEATHER – you were quite right to mention Crows as Corvids – and right about Clare. I miss her posts but have seen Limpy on another thread.

We did go out and the weather was breezy but not too bad – about eight degrees max, with sun. We didn’t buy a plant – nothing leapt out at me and said, “buy me”, so it can wait. We got some summer flowering bulbs, and the food things we wanted from both places. The day has been chaotic: just before we set out, we had a phonecall saying J must have another set of measurements done before his eye op on Saturday. He was busy with the exams, but I managed to get a message to him via his boss, and there were messages hither and thither for the rest of the day. Final arrangement is another early start tomorrow to get him to ophthalmology outpatients for nine o’clock, then he will get to work for the afternoon exams.

Sorry your relatively relaxed day turned into a chaotic one, OG. Hope all goes well with the extra appointment and nothing holds up the surgery.

Laughing about Annettes crows!! I miss Clare, too.

My cough is quite different from my OHs - he has the remains of his cold and a bad chest, but I'm breathing fine, I just have a sore throat and it's very very dry, which means it causes me to cough. Never mind I expect it'll clear up soon. Off to bed now, it's been another full day. Sorry if I've not replied to all posts

I like the new dresser Lindy. Those drawers could be very useful. As Annette says, I think we are all a bit worn out after your hard work. We were with you all the way!

Good luck with finding places for everything you want to keep from the old furniture. I parted with a lot of 'stuff' when we moved here nine years ago (really. that long?) but really need to cull again.
I have just sorted out some surplus towels to take to a local shop, which collects old towels for hedgehogs.

I enjoyed the crow stories Annette and Harelady.

Hello to Heather, Pat, OG, Dibnlib and everyone else not mentioned.

Went to the docs. Apparently can't pin anything down. Just see how it goes. Hospital appt. tomorrow re checkup on eye. Not a lot doing down here.

AQ - just a fraction cooler then. Hope lunch went well with dau and family.

OGT - I did have at one point. No such luck this time. Wasn't too impressed with her.

Just skimmed through the rest of the news. Will just have to keep an eye on things. Doc even suggested if it could be psychological, I ask you.

Lynette:  Psychological!??   Grrrr.   If I were you (and I'm not!), I'd go find an ENT specialist.  Here's a link to the Mayo Clinic website and what they have to say about inner ear/balance/nausea.   https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-bppv-dizziness-caused-by-inner-ear-crystals/    Good luck!

Lindybird:  That's a nice looking piece of furniture.   I like your carpeting too - Berber?

OG: Thanks for the update on George.  I knew he'd had some losses in the family, but hadn't heard about the other issue.  I do hope he's doing okay.   Let's hope J's appts all go smoothly!